《Invictus》Chapter 2.3 - Time Doesn't Stop
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Hey peeps I tweaked and fixed this chapter's grammar, spelling and paraphrased it fir better impact, there were too many typos, it hurts just to even read some parts, I'm guessing this is my first slip-up chapter
all the love and cliffhangers from
your Author
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"These magic crystals cost a total of 6 gold, madam"
"6 gold? are you hoodwinking me sir? pr is this how your business is all built upon, cheating on your customers by emptying as much change as you can from people's purses, the quality of these crystals aren't even worth more than 15 silver, if this establishment doesn't even respect a client's trust for it's provider then it's better off that you shut down and go bankrupt"
A crowd had started forming around the vending stall, bored people that were looking for some drama, this situation is working in my favor, at least I'd get the average price or maybe even less
"OK! OK, maam please calm down, I'll drop down the price below the average. Just please don't make my whole business burn up in flames, I might even go to the slammer, I'll sell all of it to you for a measly 2 gold and 65 silver"
Bingo!
"OK, Deal"
I turned over to the crowd
"Oh! it was just a mistake, I feel grateful for mister vendor over here, he even gave away some freebies for each purchase"
The crowd then started to swarm around stall, I'd have to say his business was booming, well time to get back to master Darius
An eccentric woman taught me how to negotiate, hustle ad sweet talk my way through barters and prices, she preferred destroying the person's reputation afterwards, I myself prefer repaying for their huge discount by boosting their sales
she was the person who taught me my A-Zs since my father wasn't the child caring type but a useless tinkerer, although I think like this, she did teach me to look dignified and responsible at the very least, she was a teen at the time, a family friend who became my own personal babysitter, she had taken interest with alchemy back then and had a certain interest for irregular medieval romantic novels that consists of slaves
the dreary factory now appeared my view, my master never bothered to even renovate the place to something at least pedestrian-friendly non-soot raining hunk of metal, and speak of the devil the gunking starts in...
...3
oh! look we have a visitor! a rather cute boy
...2
wait, he didn't bring an umbrella with him
...1
Uh, oh looks like it's too late for saving
POOF!
Oh No! His clothes are all covered in dust now, his black curly hair turned grey and his white shirt now looks like it's been breeding mold
better give him a quick wash over before the grime sticks to him, really such a shame for a person like him
I took out a water crystal and infused mana in it and imagine water splashing over him, just like that he was soaking clean in an instant I better greet him
Now that I took a closer look at him, he's kinda hot, cold stare gives me weird chills in a good way, and his hair has wide curls that made him look cute even with a death glare
"My apologies my good sir but if you happen to have some business with my master then you should probably follow me inside for a change of clothes and carry on with your intentions"
I hope I did that right, wouldn't want him to think I'm sound like quite a douche lady
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He did follow me inside, he kept looking around like a country bumpkin and his first time in the city I couldn't help but smile a little
"These displayed are all failures of my master though he never bothered to throw any of them away, he told me that each one inspires him to improve"
once we arrived at my master's workshop I led him in and stopped to stand beside him, my old man was tinkering again, he didn't even respond to me, that's how much of a pain in my behind he could possibly be, as far as I can tell he's making another 'void type' item
Items and Gear, as far as I can remember from master's lectures, are usually separated into types and ranks: null type, the most common and mundane of items; enhancement types are focused on increasing a certain aspect; there's the numerous elemental types which are kinda obvious; curse types involve sacrificial requirement in exchange for its certain power; lastly void types, usually has something to do with time, space and dark matter.
Item Rank involves with the quality and usefulness of an item and are categorized by two ways, the Known Ranking: God, Mythic, Legendary, Rare, Magic, Superior, Fine and Inferior; and the Vague Ranking: SSS, SS, S, A, B, C, D, E and F for the worst
Void types are always categorized by Known Ranking as Rare and above and by Vague Ranking as S and above, you could sell one and have enough money to buy an entire continent but it's uses are usually too precious to give up, so treasure hunters usually keep it just in case, and would actually kill to obtain one, it was every item collector's dream to obtain a Void Rank
Oh, he gave it to that boy just like that?
I'm sure the boy doesn't even know how much of an honor it is to be able to accept an item from the one and only person who can invent void items, is it because he senses something special in him?
OK! the boy's name is Leoth
Master's gloating about my habit again, he should probably grow up and accept it as it is
... Wait, he's gonna be an apprentice here?
Oh! he accepted!
I jumped around for joy and did a little victory dance in the main hall but quickly pulled myself together before Leoth noticed when...
"Aria! show my new apprentice, Leoth, where his new dorms are!"
*Day 1 of Sir Leoth's Apprenticeship*
Master started him off by teaching him the skill 'Identify', well it was kind of a requirement since his job solely relies on that skill to be able to differentiate between rocks and metals and the quality and purity
He should be able to discern and perceive the tiniest of details of each item and be able to recognize and name it successfully to be able to obtain the skill 'Identify'
It just goes to show that skills aren't perks that can be learned in a blink of an eye, each skill has certain requirements needed to be fulfilled to be able to truly appreciate its rewards, hardships and effort makes it that much sweeter
I gave him some Chamomile tea during his break to prevent eye strain and nerve damage
*Day 2 and 3 of Leoth's Apprenticeship*
Stamina, a core trait of every artisan, some works and creation needs months, maybe even years of patience to be able to finish an actual masterpiece, an artisan must learn to endure and never rush the process, each procedure is important in order to bring out the best of the end product but sometimes speed is also the key, when working on a short deadline an artisan must use every ounce of experience he/she has obtained: stamina, willpower, precision, agility and timing, a moment of hesitation may destroy an items perfection
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therefore master has ordered sir Leoth to create 10 superior ranked, null type weapons of different styles within two days
I gave him a round of Black tea in order to increase his awareness and prevent lung diseases from his inhalation of smoke in an extended period of time
We chatted on the entire time he was working, he told me of the time when he was still a kid, he met a very isolated girl from a friendly reunion of his father and his father's old classmate, he remembered told me, it was the only time he was actually having fun, there was no drama, no stress and no problems he seemed to say, it was just him, his bestfriend and that girl, it was a rather sweet and cute memory if I say so myself
I thanked him for telling me such a memory and tried to stand up and leave for more chores when I accidentally step on a puddle of oil and slipped, falling because of gravity pulling me, Newton's such a bitch, heading on a straight course toward a vat of melted steel
I guess such a corny way of 'dying' was meant to happen for someone like me, such a thing trulywritten by the gods as an insult, what an ironic way to end me
an arm slid around my waist and a rough hand clamped on my stomach just below where my breasts rested and pulled me closer to a warm and comforting embrace, his panting breath hitting my ear and a tender feeling could be felt, poking at my butt, my belly immediately grew butterflies that fluttered and rampaged within me, my face suddenly caught a rush of heat that filled my body with weird impulses I've never felt before, I just wanted to stay like this forever, with his his toned arms wrapped around my frail body as we share warmth and sweat but alas, he gingerly stepped back and hoping to give me some space in embarrassed haste
A moment where both of us said nothing, a looks we shared made it seem to last forever, a time just for us two, a second filled with just heartfelt beatings and sighs, but time doesn't work like that, time doesn't stop for such occasions, time is a bitch as life is filled with shit, it won't stop for anyone, not even for me an for this very moment
Seeing as how this would lead to nothing but more empty moments for us both, I left him standing there agape, in such a rush without even single glance behind me
*Day 4 of Leoth's Apprenticeship*
I saw some blueprints on his workdesk while master was training him in the main hall, we still haven't talked, not even when we usually pass by each other sometimes but only a few peeks and awkward silence were given at that time, our atmosphere couldn't be more dead, I wanted to break the ice somehow, but it seemed impossible as both of us have a defining trait of 'scared shitless of wht might happen' syndrome
. . . . a few hours later, I peek through a crack of a slightly opened door that led into Leoth's facility, I wanted to see him, see his heartmelting face, experience how he makes me feel weird down below, As always he was slaving away at his workbench, but there was something different, a device I don't recognize lay still dismantled on the burnt hard wooden table, it was quite obvious that thing wasn't a part of master's plans
my talent of recognizing items and gadgets just goes to show that no matter how much someone hates something, if it's your father forcing it onto you, somehow it sticks like a piece of chewing gum tied to your hair, it'll be hard to remove
"I gave him a few hour long break from training for personal time, he's been working on that thing since the 2nd day"
I was surprised by the sudden whispering behind me, I double checked and made sure master was asleep or reading lewd books wen I snuck here, he was casually peeking through the horizontal space with an impressed look and a glint in his eyes, I'm sire he povably gave notes or gave him some ultra top secret blueprints from a secret stash somewhere, but apparently master guessed what I was thinking
"... I didn't help him at all, he didn't ask me for anything besides the schedule for training, so when i was statisfied I left him to himself, now here he is"
he added in a matter of fact tone
my eyebrows scrunged up together, my eyes kept staring at him, glued to his hot broad shoulders, steaming sweat quickly ran down his back near the spine down towards a place I've wanted to grasp, my hand clenched into a fist, it kept shivering no matter what I do, I knew it wouldn't be forever
"You do know he's going to leave this place once the five days are over you know, so..."
master's tone toned down into a serious octave, his lips were squeezed together into a grim poker face with the look of a father bracing himself for what is yet to come
"... What do you plan to do about it, Aria?"
Sweat broke out my forehead as stress accumulated, my shivering got worse and tears started to drop uncontrollably
*Last Day of Leoth's Apprenticeship*
"Is he still working in there"
master looked up away from his usual favorite low-class smut, it was probably the ones he hides under his bed, I found out when I tidied up his room, I'd rather ignore than bother scolding him
"Yes"
he closed and set aside the trash book in order to properly attend her duaghter's needs
I don't want him to go, but he's a traveler, I can't stop him from exploring the world, I can't keep him locked up in this drab factory
"Mas-- No... Father, will you grant your daughter her one and only wish just this once?"
his face turned serious
"What is it? You never called me father even once, until now. Is it that important?"
Pressure could be felt from the room, gravity felt heavier and breathing became harder as if the air was halved
"Yes, it is important...
... I want to go with Leoth on his adventure!"
"OK"
"I knew you would say that! listen dad I have eery right to go out and see the world and I can't always be loc-- Wait what?"
"I said that's fine"
"R-really?"
my brain finally caught up o his approval, my mind did backflips and streaked across my thoughts and punched out future flirters of Leoth
"Yes, He seems like a nice guy and pretty dependable though you're provably doing all the protecting for him if given the chance but all in all he's an honest to god kind of guy, he hasn't been quite tainted by human greed yet and huge potential can be seen within him and what did you think would I say? I may be a bad father but not an evil one"
"YAY! Oh and Umm one last thing dad..."
"Go on..."
"What exactly is he? as far as I noticed he'a far from a human being..."
"Well you're not exactly human either are you my beloved daughter. I read about him from a book when I was a child, the grooves in his back and abnormal presence around him indicates that he was one of the lost race of a line who were known to be able to actually surpass godhood unlike the other races, the sockets on his back when embedded with unique gemstone give the user immense power and takes its form depending on their nature, a creature next in line for the throne of this realm...
Leoth is a Scion"
A scion? next in line for the throne of this realm? to that innocent and gentle boy? I need to help him! I want to shoulder his burdens and responsibilities with him! I want to be someone he'd acknowledge!
"Father! I want to be Leoth's sword and shield, recreate me into his power, I Aria, the first line of human androids, My body of your Automatons, My flesh and blood of Yura's Alchemy, My soul of your daughter and My mind of my own offer my whole self to be His and only his slave, a tool for his bidding and a servant of his desires!"
The Contract has been Written
my father stood there wide eyed, his usual lax self was blown away by my declaration and terrified of the contract creation, he could only sigh at my outburst and looked at me with determined eyes
"I accept the terms and bestow you upon whom you wish"
Contract has been Recognized
The Presence of Host is needed for further Confirmation
"sigh* I'll go get your new master for you...
... you know you will always be my one and only beloved daughter"
"Thank you...
... and I know Father"
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